When you’re the eighth place team playing the fifth place
team at home, a draw is a decent result, it’s just the nature of the beast. But
when you’re a team that has collapsed all season when conceding, keeping it
together and coming back to equalize is pretty exciting. Even more so when the
equalizer was a bicycle kick from your central defensive midfielder. But when
De Jong is on the pitch, that’s just the nature of the beast.
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| A salute to you, too, sir |
Milan took a lot of shots. How many depends on your sources, and
mine said 26 shots, with only six on goal. More than double Sampdoria’s
chances, but still the draw. So while it’s exciting that we took so many
chances, we did have a little problem finishing. That little problem was not
only Cerci, although I think he got the sitter of the match just before
halftime. His girlfriend should have probably kept quiet about the playing
time, because now that he’s been starting, fans are starting to realize his
limited capabilities.
He also limits Menez, at least in terms of shooting. When
Cerci is on the pitch, Menez plays a lot deeper and does a lot more creating
passes. Which isn’t a bad thing, but love him or hate him, we need his goals.
Destro struggles to find or make chances, and then the Furious Mesbah went and broke him today, too.
Hope the injury isn’t serious, I am one of a waning few that believes in his
potential and wants to see him reach it.
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| Some stamina and some more playing time, please, even if he is likely heading back to Chelsea |
Revelations this game included van Ginkel, who miraculously did
not get a goal, though not for a lack of trying. Unfortunately, he faded a little before
the half, but I loved what he did early on. The sub of the game, maybe even the
season, was Cerci off for Suso in the 62nd. With Suso’s longest appearance of
the season, he showed Cerci’s girlfriend (as well as everyone else) what we’ve been
missing. Very promising appearance, and I hope that he gets more appearances
and continues to impress.
Not as impressive was Mexes, who basically gifted Soriano his goal in the 58th to make it 1-0 Sampdoria (at least we got to see Ferrero dance. Once.) Then he tried to be a striker a couple of times again, ended up getting carded at the end of stoppage time for mixing it
up with Wszolek. Despite taking one for the team early on in the face, I say no
thank you, please do not renew. Abate got the beast memo on the defensive part
of his job, but also decided suddenly to become a striker, and that didn’t work
well for us. Inzaghi wisely brought on De Sciglio for him in the 71st, and the
kid looked well enough coming back from injury. He even helped De Silvestre off
near the end of time when he was injured, pure class.
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| Maybe he's not the Jesus you're thinking of, but he looks really good when juxtaposed with Cerci's performance |
The 74th minute was the moment to watch, as De Jong saw his
chance when Antonelli headed from a corner and De Jong went full beast mode with the
bicycle kick. Nevermind that Duncan got a touch on it before it went in, this
one is going to the Beast, De Jong. 1-1 in the 74th. Inzaghi brought Pazzini on
for the injured Destro in the 77th, and he did his best to make an impact as
always. De Jong earned his yellow in the 83rd for going full on beast mode on
Muriel with an elbow, but then again, that’s just the nature of the Beast.
I don’t know if we can quite call this consistency yet, as
our performance was still quite fragile. We started to cave after conceding,
and it took De Jong actually scoring before the grinta really returned. We
definitely had more shots, possession was 58%, and we equalized to get the draw
with a team that was actually above
us on the table. All of those things are great signs, and coming off back to
back wins, I will proudly take this draw. But of course, I wouldn’t be a Milan
fan if I didn’t instantly turn my thoughts to next Sunday and the Derby. Will
this improved play give us the consistency we have been craving all year just
in time to win the Derby? If De Jong and his teammates play even better than
today, I think we just might. But then again, we may not… it’s just the nature
of the beast.
This post inspired by the music of The
Beastie Boys
Our next match is
il Derby della Madonnina
Inter vs. AC Milan
Sunday, April 19 • 20:45 CEST (2:45pm EDT)